Let’s be honest, Millennials have a bad reputation with the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. A Millennial is a person born roughly between 1980 and 2000 and are often associated with words like: entitled, spoiled, narcissistic, unfortunate and babies. However, I think many of those Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are forgetting that they raised us. Anyway, despite all of those descriptions, “Millennial” is far less associated with “parent” to these generations, which I also find comical, because “Millennials” actually make up 90 percent of new mothers. Uh oh, people, watch out — the generation that co-sleeps, feeds their children organic food, cares about car seat safety and has strong feelings about spanking is here. We are parents now, and we have lots and lots of plans to change things.

Change is good. Change is inevitable. Change is something that is finally being accepted in the world we live in, and perhaps this is just another reason why we (Millennials) are raising our children considerably differently than any other generation before us. (yes, I know, it's very Millennial of me to think we're so exceptional).

Here are seven ways that Millennial parents are breaking tradition and establishing new paradigms:

1. Technology: Our Parenting Go-To

I’m an early '90s baby, and in the '90s, computer ownership increased dramatically as it was just becoming a desirable product for households. Today, more than 83 percent of households have a computer, and more 63 percent have a “handheld” computer (aka, smart phone or similar device). Obviously, this changes countless aspects of our lives, from how we shop all the way to how we parent. Many Millennials’ kids are growing up using technology, it is one of those things that are just really hard to avoid, sort of like how AIM was hard to avoid as a tween. But, even if you’re a parent who limits (or completely restricts) your child’s screen time, chances are that you probably use technology to read parenting articles (like this one), connect to hot-moms-club message boards, or find recipes for DIY baby food and inspirational baby outfits.

2. Rear-Facing Car Seats

Today, there is a recommended five-point harness for car seats (and which is the law in my home state). Although it is not a law in Ohio, it is also recommended that children stay rear faced until at least the age of 2. Now, in 1993 when I was born, it was still common for car seats to be in the passenger seat of a vehicle, and steps were just starting to be taken to make car seat safety a priority. Not only have vast improvements been made since Millennial moms were kids, but we are largely aware of them and making sure that car seats are no longer death traps. Knowledge is power, y’all.

3. “Back Is Best”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) began recommending babies be placed on their backs to sleep in 1992. By 2000, the Back to Sleep Campaign reduced deaths caused by SIDS 50 percent. When I share this information with Baby Boomers or Gen Xers, they assure me that they were told just the opposite by all of their doctors when they had children. That goes to show how much we continue to learn from new studies that are constantly being done and researched to improve the safety of our children.

4. Co-Sleeping Really Isn’t So Bad

I’m very aware of the horror stories that some parents have about co-sleeping, and that is isn’t recommended by many doctors. But, I did my research and knew from when I was pregnant that co-sleeping was something I wanted to do. So, for us, this is what works. My son is 15 months old and he still sleeps in bed with me, and I’m really in no rush to make him sleep on his own. Also, co-sleeping looks different for different families, so bring their baby into their bed, others put their baby to sleep in a sleeper next to their bed, or even having the baby’s crib in the same room as the parents' is a form of co-sleeping. If done correctly, there are actually physical and emotional benefits for both parents and baby that come with co-sleeping. Some examples may be; ease of breastfeeding and boosting attachments.

5. “Breast Is Best”

Unfortunately, breastfeeding didn’t work out exactly as I had hoped or planned for, but through determination, support and persistence, we were able to successfully provide our son with breast milk for 6 months! Despite the decline of mothers who breastfed between the 1930s and '70s, breastfeeding is once again on the rise. which is awesome! After all, there are SO many benefits to breast milk and breastfeeding, like: a woman’s post-partum body recovers more quickly after childbirth if the mother breastfeeds, breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast or ovarian cancer in mothers, breast milk is filled with antibodies that are designed specifically for your baby to help fight infection, and the list endlessly goes on! But, because breasts are viewed as sexual objects, they are now viewed as just that, rather than a natural way to feed your children. This has opened a whole new can of worms for Millennial moms, but that is a topic for another day.

6. We’re Pickier Eaters

Debates about GMOs, organic eating and increased rates of obesity, allergies and autism have many Millennial parents extremely concerned about the foods we feed our kids. We want brands that emphasize healthier eating and prioritize health, transparency and other ethical values. (Though, I’ll admit: while I try to make sure my kid eats a variety of healthy diet, sometimes chocolate chips and Oreos are good for our souls. It’s about balance, like when I balance a cupcake in one hand and a bag of potato chips in another.)

7. We Want Change And Encourage Our Children To Accept Change, Too

Millennials are socially and politically engaged in new and adequate ways. From the food that we feed our children, to the stories we read them before they go to bed, each decision is a moral conviction that affects how we parent. We are aware, we are striving for change and we’re getting our kids on that bandwagon, too.